About this Site

Emilie Davis was an African-American woman living in Philadelphia during the U.S. Civil War. This website is a transcription of Emilie’s three pocket diaries for the years 1863, 1864, and 1865. In them, she recounts black Philadelphians’ celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation, nervous excitement during the battle of Gettysburg, and their collective mourning of President Lincoln. The diary allows readers to experience the war in real time, as events unfolded for Civil War Americans. Read More...

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December 30-31, 1863

Wednesday, December 30, 1863.

nice clear morning after the rain very busy all day Nellie was up here spent the evening vincent was up and staid a little

while clear and [...] cold i have bin quite sick all the week Nell and Tomy was up here Nell and went out a little while stoped in to bustills then went up to teach first er and helped trim the childrens tree stoped at mrs hills sue went withes us to aunt Janes i was

Emilie explains further how she spent her New Years’ Eve in the memoranda pages at the end of her diary. To view this entry, click here.